While driving my 2000 7.3 Excursion to work today, I felt a slight “stutter” when entering the freeway ramp. I figured it might be time to change my diesel filter – I had no further issues the rest of the way to work. When I left work I backed out of my spot and went to Fleetfarm to pick up hunting supplies. As I pulled into the parking lot I noticed that I had no traction on the wheels… aka… there was no engagement from the engine to the wheels. I managed to roll into the parking lot. I then shifted through Reverse and all forward gears == nothing… the engine RPM gave a slight note of being put in gear but no wheel movement. I then moved the truck to Park and then back into D. It engaged and drove ahead. Before venturing out into traffic I wanted a solid “fix/Repro” so I stopped 15 feet later. Now the truck refused to drive again. So I figured – OK put her back in P… so I did. Once the truck was back in D… No go. After multiple attempts it was completely random when I could get the truck to move and when I couldn’t (no matter if I put it in Reverse or forward. So I finally called the wife and left the Excursion behind. While waiting I called a friend who is a mechanic and stumped him with my explanation.
- 2000 7.3 Ford Excursion
- 242K miles
- I have had the truck since 130K and never had ANY transmission issues. I flushed the transmission at ~190K
- No transmission slippage ever
- No Blinking tow/haul light
- No other error codes thrown
- Shift lever seems to engage at the proper points (No linkage slippage)
- Engine RPM responds slightly to being put in gear.
- After letting it idle for a while I could hear a slight noise from the transmission / TC

Any ideas of what could be going on here?

 

With that many miles you should or might have to have it rebuilt.....they don't go forever. It sounds like oil pressure loss.

 

Thanks EXv10 -- agreed it probably is a good idea to have it rebuild. What gets me is the way that it died suddenly and then intermittently worked again... thoughts?

 

I bought my 2000 X with the same symptoms you're talking about. I would put it in gear, the tone of the engine would change, even the idle would change like the engine was "going under load" but it would not budge except for the odd time. Turned out that all of the clutch packs were burnt out of it from the PO. Tranny rebuilder couldn't believe the transmission would engage at all. Sounds like you're having the same issue

 

Just because the tone of the engine changes and the idle speed lowers doesn't mean the trans has engaged at all. The PCM lowers the idle speed when changing from P or N to D or R.

 

Thanks Dave -- I plan on getting it to a Transmission shop later today... With the miles on it I might just get the whole thing rebuild anyways.

Mark -- that makes sense -- thanks. Any other idea why it might be behaving with a "sporadic engagement"?

 

No, not really.

 

Something probably got plugged then unplugged itself, or had a contact and then lost it..Since it has potential to work I would consult a transmission shop or maybe Mark will chime back in. I haven't rebuilt them for many years. It doesn't sound like anything that slowly went bad.

 

There is NOTHING electrical that can do this. Something mechanical inside the transmission has failed.